Background Retinoblastoma is a rare malignancy involving the retina, although, more common among children, with genetic inheritance explaining the incidence as well as acquired forms. The incidence varies among race and sex as well as mortality and survival. The current study aimed to assess retinoblastoma cumulative incidence (CMI), mortality, and survival by sex. Methods A retrospective cohort design was used to assess the CMI, mortality, and survival in this pediatric malignancy based on the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data 2000–2017. The binomial regression model was used to examine sex differentials in mortality, as well as other study variables, while Cox proportional hazard model was used for the survival variability by sex. Results The CMI during this period was higher among males relative to females (males n = 249, 56.7%; females n = 190, 43.3%, χ2 = 2.90, df = 1, p = 0.089). There were sex differences in mortality, with excess mortality observed among males compared to females, risk ratio = 3.40, 95% CI [1.0–15.72]. The survival differences by sex indicated decreased survival among males relative to females, hazard ratio (HR) = 3.39, 95% CI [1.0–15.72]. After controlling for the potential confoundings, namely tumor grade, urbanity, and median income the survival disadvantage of males persisted. Compared to females’, males were more than three times as likely to die, adjusted HR = 3.42, 99% CI [0.37–31.60]. Conclusion In a representative sample of pediatric retinoblastoma, there was a sex differential in survival with excess risk of dying identified among males relative to females, which may be explained in part by male X‐linkage.

Objective To review pediatric poisonings evaluated at the bedside by medical toxicologists and reported in the ToxIC registry, by sex and age group. Methods Pediatric poisoning cases age ≤18 years, reported between January 2010 and December 2016, were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to describe study variables by age group and sex. Results A total of 12,699 cases were analyzed. There were 7517 females and 5182 males. Those < 2 years old represented 12.5% of the study group (n = 1584), 17.2% were 2-6 years old (n = 2178), 8.6% were 7-12 years old (n = 1097), and 61.7% were 13-18 years old (n = 7840). The most common primary reasons for encounter were intentional pharmaceutical with 4900 females and 1836 males; intentional non-pharmaceutical with 952 females and 1213 males; unintentional pharmaceutical with 539 females and 644 males; and unintentional non-pharmaceutical with 435 females and 593 males. Overall, pharmaceuticals were the most commonly involved agents, including analgesics (20.9% of cases) and antidepressants (11% of cases): 27.8% of females and 10.7% of males were reportedly exposed to an analgesic.13.7% of females and 7.0% of males were reportedly exposed to an antidepressant. Among 1584 cases under 2 years, there were 747 females and 837 males; among 2178 cases aged 2-6 years, there were 954 females and 1224 males; among 1097 cases aged 7-12 years, there were 555 females and 542 males; and among 7840 cases aged 13-18 years, there were 5261 females and 2579 males. Death was reported in 0.7% of the cases: 20 females and 18 males. 6.1% of cases were managed with intubation: 421 females and 351 males. Conclusions Sex-based characteristics of poisonings varied by age group among pediatric poisoning presentations reported to the ToxIC registry and further research is needed to determine implications for education and prevention efforts.

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